"Papa," cried out Nox as he and his friends bounded into the dining hall. Whereupon they noted the Kitsune sitting at the table with a four-armed, metallic skeleton in a snow white robe to his left. The pair had an air of hushed secrecy about their persons, and were no doubt speaking of something of great importance.
However, once the children entered, all discussion was put to rest. For the attention of the Ageless turned towards his son and his three friends. Of whom each sat or stood at the base of his chair with features and eyes full of hope, "Papa, please tell us what happened in the story." The hybrid child and the twins gazed up at his person with their own version of a "Puppy-Dog Stare", of which was aptly named the "Gaze of Doom" by Anasi. Yes. He did avert his eyes when he noted his friends beginning to use such a stare up at the Kitsune before them.
Of whom widened his own eyes and flinched backwards with a cough. Whereas the skeleton simply chuckled at the antics of the children, "Now, now, children," came a melodic and low voice from behind the stationary teeth, "The Ageless has many duties to attend to this turn, which means he cannot stay."
"But," whined the children, who were rather eager to know of what happened within the Ageless's past.
"Ah, why don't you tell them, Brutus," came the voice of the Kitsune between them.
"Me, My Lord?" The lights within the sockets of the skeleton, which were a pale green in colour, flickered once as though it was imitating a blinking motion, "And what, pray, is the story you told them?"
"King Aruuga," came the answer, but not by the old adults. Instead, this came from Anasi, who became a little nervous when everyone glanced his way. Of whom then sighed a relief once their gazes drifted elsewhere.
"Hmm," hummed the other as his primary, right clawed forefinger tapped against his right cheekbone. Which then stopped as he turned his skull towards the Ageless, "Wasn't that the one whose daughter was kidnapped, and you destroyed that-"
"Shh," the God King's right paw clamped over the other's grinning maw, then released him with a, "Don't give it all away, but yes, that is the one I was speaking of."
"Very well," the skeleton leaned back against the chair he sat upon whilst tilting his skull back as though trying to remember the story.
Whereas the other turned towards his son with an apologetic grin upon his features. "Sorry, Nox, but duty calls for my person." To which the child simply sighed whilst bobbing his head a few times before stretching out his arms for a great hug. Of which was given, but only for a short time. For as they parted, and Nox was placed down upon the ground, did the other vanish into nothing. Thus leaving Brutus to take care of the children's minds as he tried to remember the details of what had occurred.
*
In the end, the four-armed skeleton could not remember all of the details, and instead, opted to bring the children into a part of the castle that they did not know of. The Library. Of which was far larger than the whole of the building itself. Indeed, for it was easily three times its size, as the interior soon revealed with a mesmerising spiral, ever flowing forever above their heads.
Upon the walls were rows upon rows of multicoloured, hard covered books bound in the unknown leathers of fallen animals. Each one was either dyed with a pigment, or was left to yellow with age. Whereas the insides were kept preserved by way of magick, so as to keep the remnants of the past available for the future.
The floors, however, were carpeted with something incredibly soft, which Nox and the twins leapt onto almost immediately, and rubbed their cheeks and back against the softness. This led to the little Arachne to lean down and rub his palm across the surface of the ground below, smiling as he did so. Afterwards, he did stare upon the sights around him with an agape mouth, whilst his eyes darted everywhere to the point of becoming dizzy.
"What is this place?" wondered aloud Anasi, who spun around slowly, his eyes drinking in the wonders. Of which then focused upon an odd sight which caused him to bring the others' attention to it. For upon the third level above their own was an odd, white creature which flittered around the books that were placed snugly into the wall. However, due to the distances between them, the children could not see as to what they were, exactly. When they turned to Brutus to ask him what they were, he simply shook his head and motioned them to follow his person.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Of course, they did so, but not until they turned spotting the unknown creatures into a game of who can find the most as they continued onwards. The floor they walked upon was round, containing stationary sectioned shelves which contained half formed books. All of which led to the centre that contained large bags full of beads that caused the whole of it to conform to the body shape of whomever sat upon it.
In this, there were four of them, and surrounded an old wicker chair which had the look of one that was left bare to the outside elements for too long. To the right was a small table with a red bound book atop its surface, whilst to the left was a small cart full of snacks and cakes for the children to enjoy. This led to the hybrid and the twins to bound over to the cart, whereupon they did find plates and piled upon them stacks of the various cakes. Afterwards, they did waddle on over to the beanbag chairs, and hopped right into them with a giggle.
Whereas Anasi, though tempted by the sweets, only placed a variety of snacks upon his own. Of which contained various fruits, cheeses, and vegetables. Yes. There were some meats, but the moment he scuttled over to the remaining chair, did the others take note to what he had gathered. This led to them setting aside their plates in order to scamper back over to the cart, where they did grab nearly all of the meats therein.
As this occurred, Brutus had made his way over to the wicker chair, and upon seating himself, took up the book. Whereupon he did open it slowly, and began to leaf through it slowly as his head slowly nodded whilst his eyes flickered from left to right. Yes. He was reading the book, and only paused a few times before shaking his head, continuing onwards with his search.
However, this did not last long, and he soon found what it was he was searching for. Of which led to him snapping the clawed fingers of his left primary hand, whilst waving his right over the red bound book upon his lap. This caused the book to vanish, which caught the attention of the children, who widened their eyes at the scene, as a yellowed leather-bound book replaced it. Upon the cover of such a thing, though, read the words, "Your Princess is in Another Castle".
"Now then," came the voice of Brutus as he clapped both pairs of skeletal, clawed hands together, of which called the attention of the children before his person, "I have found the story, but I do not know where our Lord had left off."
"Something about being chopped by a halberd, Lord Brutus," came the response from Anasi, who then picked at a few vegetables and quietly munched on them.
"A halberd?" the metallic skeleton was perplexed by this, as his magicks were sent into the book upon his lap. Whereupon it then opened quickly, its pages flipping over one another until it reached the end with a soft shutting. "There are none within the story, Anasi. Perhaps it was the wrong book he was... Ah," his eyes flared brightly for a moment, illuminating the area before him with the same pale glow within the sockets, "I see what has happened."
"What happened, Uncle Brutus?" mewed Mia as she nibbled slowly on a piece of red meat that was staining the dress she wore with its juices.
"Our Lord has mixed two stories. Perhaps the confusion came from too much work as of late, or perhaps not. Well, no matter," his shoulders shrugged slowly, "All that needs be is another telling of the tale.
"Hmm," his voice hummed softly as he looked over the whole of the story upon his lap. Though, with him being without features upon his metallic skull, it would be difficult to figure out what it was that he was thinking of. However, it wouldn't be long before he revealed his thoughts, as he did open the book to the very beginning, his grinning skull causing the Arachne who looked upon his person to shiver with an unknown feeling.
"Let us begin," came the voice of the one before them, in a haunting melody which stretched all around their persons. To which Brutus chuckled as the hybrid and the twins perked their ears, the food momentarily forgotten, as the magicks within the Library of the Midnight Castle flared into being. Of which caused the whole of the room to become black as he opened his ever grinning maw with, "It was a dark and storming night..."